Eniz Fazliov – Reader’s Choice Interview

Yes, he’s done it again! By popular vote Eniz Fazliov is Europe’s favourite skater – for the second time again, after claiming the award in 2012. While the first time a friend at an endemic news website unbeknownst offered a helping hand, this time the Fin/Macedonian/Alban/Euro has no clue whatsoever just how he’s pulled it off…

We, however, do have one answer (without even getting into the cocksucking game too deep – no pun intended): Eniz, even if you don’t want to hear it, you rule, man! You’re a heavy load of skateboarding straight to the face, direct and honest.

Steve: All right, so let’s see, how do we start this off? Shit, what happened last night?Eniz: I really don’t know. I don’t remember shit from last night. Hahahaha.

Ok, but now some real questions. Two-time readers choice award winner. How do you do it?I have no idea how it worked out this time. I feel like I don’t really deserve it. There are a lot of guys out there killing it that should have gotten it probably. I didn’t even share it on my Facebook this year. Like the link for the voting and stuff.

Oh yeah, because I heard the first time around you won, some TV station or big website in Finland had your back and that way a bunch of people who don’t even skate voted for you.Yeah, the first time I told all my friends and even the part of family back in Macedonia to vote for me. At some point this homie of ours in Helsinki who works for this big website posted it and that really got me a lot of votes I guess but this year none of that went down. So I really don’t know how I won this time. I actually didn’t even know I was nominated for the award, I thought I was nominated for best video part or something.

I really don't know how I won this time.

That’s pretty amazing! Maybe you won because of the great speech from the first time you got the award, when you went on stage and called it the “cocksucking awards”?Hahahahha, yeah who knows? Guess I got lucky.

Nah, it’s normal. Ashes riders always win. Do you think Samu and the “Itä” guys are gonna get pissed at us (Steve and Paul Labadie, Ashes griptape owners) for putting you on?I don’t know, my phone broke two days ago, so maybe they have been trying to call and threaten me. I mean I don’t even know if I was officially on Itä. I actually started it with some friends. It was just our crew kind of. Itä means east and we were really into East Coast stuff so that was our thing. Then eventually it turned into a company.

So basically you quit riding for you own brand to come ride for Ashes griptape? That’s gnarly.Yeah, shit. Well, I don’t think it’s going to be a problem; we are all friends so it should be ok.

Threading the needle with a frontside 180 ollie. Ph. Sem Rubio.

Otherwise we have to start some griptape wars or something. War is supposedly good for business I hear.Yeah, I guess there is money to be made in war. So maybe it will be good for both, Ashes and Itä.

Speaking of sponsor changes, what’s going on with your board situation these days?
Frankfrankfrankfrankfrankfrank (Ed. note: new company from around the Antiz squad), that is what’s going on. I basically didn’t have anything now for the last six months and was just getting boards at Lamia, the skate shop I ride for. So now soon the Frank boards will be here and that is going to be sick.

Nice, I also heard there will be a lil’ promo video coming out for Frank. Do you have footage for it? Since I know you are working on all kinds of video stuff right now.Yeah, I should have enough. I guess it’s just a smaller promo video, so I should be fine. It’s a bit crazy since I am also working on the “Where We Come From” video and a new “Rabies” part, even though it’s gonna have a different name. So, I guess I am busy, you could say, but I don’t really think about it too much. Just skate and see how it goes.

Backside 50-50 the doublekink in Helsinki. Ph. Sam Clark

Frontside flip in Alicante. Ph. Sem Rubio.

Is there a deadline for “Where We Come From“?I don’t know ask this guy sitting right next to me.

Lukas?

Lukas Fiederling: Well, I am going to say that this is the last year of filming and then it will be done. So lets hope for the best. This guy already has 6 min of footage but some of the other people are more human.

What about the Perus video that just came out, what’s it called again?“Get the Beers in Dickhead”

Exactly, does that have anything to do with your comments at Bright?No, I don’t think so. I didn’t even know the name until a few days ago. Who knows how they came up with that one?

Heelflip in Alicante. Ph. Sem Rubio.

I just want to walk out of my house and jump on my board.

How does Perus even work, they seem pretty out of it most of the time but somehow things do get done?I don’t know, I mean half of the team doesn’t even skate anymore. I really wonder how it all works, but it does, so fuck it. It’s basically Sean who keeps it all running.

Yeah, that always amazes me. He once told me that he likes me but I don’t do enough drugs.
Hahahahahaha, that sounds like something he would say.

Let’s move on to some other subject here. Got any ties to the Albanian mafia?No, it’s just the language I speak. I was born in Macedonia actually, but when people ask I say Albania sometimes, because nobody knows where it is. When I am in the States, I say I am Finish, but when I am in Europe if people ask I usually say Albania.

Ollie in. Ph. Sem Rubio.

So you are always lying to people.I guess so. Shit. I moved to Finland when I was five, so maybe I should just say Finland from now on.

Well now with this interview we have cleared it all up so you should be fine from now on. Let’s see, what else should people know about you? Any other things you like to do besides skating, any passions?No, I don’t do shit. I skate, hang out with friends have some beers and just try to enjoy life. I suck with computers and all this. Plus, I just don’t care much for them.

Lukas: He can make some real good pancakes!

Eniz: True, I am into cooking, but I am not really good at it yet. Working on it though.

Ollie into the bank. Ph. Jelle Keppens.

I don't do shit. I skate, hang out with friends, have some beers and just try to enjoy life.

So you are not into photography or filming lets say?Nah, fuck that hipster bullshit.

Lukas: Oh, cheers man! Thanks a lot!

Eniz: No…! Well, you know what I mean. I just don’t care. Fuck all that. I am a skater.

See, I like that about you. You are really direct and honest. You also get a bit pissed off and like to claim that at Bright everybody is just being too nice and, well, sucking each other’s dicks.
It’s ok to be nice. I just think some people are too fake and it’s stupid. Just be honest, don’t pretend that everyone is your best friend. I guess when you are honest with people these days, they take it in the wrong way. But that’s not my problem. If you don’t like me, that’s fine.

Mini-bump gap to front board in Alicante. Ph. Sem Rubio.

So you are not a big fan of Bright then?No, I like Bright. You get a bunch of free beers and get to hang out with all your homies. So it’s all good. I just don’t like the hangover afterwards. Hahahahha.

Before you were saying how you and your friends have always been super into the east coast style of skating. Do you like tranny as well or are you strictly street? What about vert?I like everything. I like vert as well actually. We used to have a cool lil’ vert ramp in Finland which was fun. I mean it’s hard because I always just skate with my regular board. I have never had pads and tried like that. Maybe I should give it a go sometime. I just wish they would not make the ramps so big these days. I mean there is always just a mini ramp and then a huge vert ramp. I just want a little vert ramp.

Backside lipslide in Brussels. Ph. Vincent Coupeau.

So more of a midi ramp then?Exactly, hahahhaa. That would be my thing.

Did you ever make it out to the East Coast and see all the stuff you thought was the shit when you were a kid?No, I have never been to the East Coast, just the West Coast.

How do you like the States? Do you feel like maybe you wanna move there – make it in the big leagues so to speak?No, no that is not for me. I don’t really like going to the States that much. I have been a couple of times and it’s not really for me. Maybe I would enjoy being on the East Coast more, who knows. I was in SF recently for the first time and that was pretty fun. But like LA and all that is not so fun. I don’t like cars, I just want to walk out of my house and jump on my board.

Nosegrind pop-out in Helsinki. Ph. Deeli.

Helsinki is a bit dangerous for the drinking

So you got any special plans for 2014? Skydiving or something like that?Hell no, I am so scared of heights.

What!? How do you jump on those big rails then?That’s different. I get scared when I am on the edge of a roof or things like that. So I will never jump out of an airplane, fuck that. I am already getting a strange feeling just thinking of it.

Fair enough. So, 2014 what’s coming?Same as always. Skate with my friends, film, enjoy life as much as possible, especially now that I actually live in Helsinki and don’t have to commute all the time.

You didn’t live in Helsinki before?No, I was still living with my mom where I grew up. It’s a 10-15 minute train ride outside of the city. Now I have my own place with my girlfriend. It’s nice, just sucks having to pay the bills. Helsinki is expensive. It’s also a bit more dangerous for the drinking, hahahhaha.

Yeah, well, you Fintarts are dangerous drinkers no matter what. How is it possible that there are still so many good skaters?I don’t know. Maybe its because the winter is so shit that once we can skate street, we just really try to make the most of the time. Then in winter you just get stuck at the park, which gets so boring. I really don’t like to practice tricks. I like to be inspired by the spot so to speak. You know how that is, sometimes you get to a spot and for whatever reason you think you can do a certain trick on it, even if you have never really done it anywhere else. That’s the best part of skating.

I think that is a good way to end this whole thing. Any last words, advice or hate?Not sure, aaahhhh…… just be honest and have fun. Cheers

Newsletter Terms & Conditions

Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. We will never sell your data and you'll only get messages from us and our partners whose products and services we think you'll enjoy.